Method of finishing leather



FERDINAND WYCLIFFE .EL'LINGTON, or Jamaica, new YORK.-

No Drawing.

This invention relates METHOD or FINISHING LEATHER.

to the method of gilding leather such as employed in making shoes,slippers, pocket books t-icles of manufacture 'usi leather compositions.

ng pure leather or One .of. the objects of myinvention is to -providemeans for andthe method of gilding leather 1n such a outin-relief asfaras of. the leather after-it has been g lded with a thin coating of gilt,silver, aluminum 'or' manner as to bring possible the grain theircompoundsfwhen appliedto the surface of the leather in sh eet form.

Another object of my invention is to provide a leather coating or notwash oflf when wet covering that will or moistened and will be durablefor a long period of time.

A further object is to with a bright, burnished,

provide a leather gilded surface that will not be subject to cracking byreason of the flexing of the leather inthe complete article ofmanufacture.

So far as I am aware,

shoes, slippers and other articles of manufacture have heretosilver oraluminum leaf fore been gilded by the application of gold,

by first apply ng a coating of gelatineor starchy preparation to thesurface to cause the leaf to adhere. This preparation yields to moistureand to a certain degree to extreme temperatures with the result thatwhen the gilded surface is wet, the gilt easily rubs the gelatinehardens and off. Furthermore, becomes stifl when dry and cold, and thegilt plating cracks when the leather is flexed.

I have discovered that by the use of a proper sizing,

such as Japan size that a much more durable coating may be made thanwith the use of gelatme or of starch preparations,

but it is very difficult to properly plate or coat with Japan size dueto its quick drying properties. so in the case where the This isespecially leather is dry and relatively stiff as the size is quicklyabsorbed by the leather and dries sheet of plating material and also forthe reason before the is firmly attached that the thin flexible leatherin bending cracks the gilt more or less.

These difficulties and entirely overcome by others have been thediscovery that a nish may be applied to the Japan sizing is app theleather before lied thereto which and other 'ar- Application filedAugust 27, 1926. Serial No. 132,038.

will open the pores of the leather and when the size. is appliech theoil acts on the size to slow up the drying action, thus allowingsufficient time to apply. the leaf after the he action of the oil notonly slows up the drying properties of the size but increases theflexibility of the surface of the leather so that the platingenters intomore After the size has dried to a strong intimate contact with theleather and in consequence the plating will not easily wear off whenwet.

After the plating operation iscompleted, the surface may be burnishedwith proper burnishing tools if desired or may be brushed with a finewire brush to give a stippling effect, if this kind of a finish isdesired. 1

Instead of coating the leather directly as above set forth, I may add afew drops of the oil or varnish to an ounce of the Japan size, say fouror five drops, to modify the action, or slow up its drying properties,and increase the flexibility of the leather. When applied to the leatheras a coating, the leaf may be applied as above set forth and very goodresults may be thus obtained by this practice.

It is obvious that I may use powdered metal instead of the: sheet form,as a covering for the leather, and I therefore do not wish to be limitedto the use of sheet covering only but contemplate that myinvention shallcover the use and application of a slow drying oil in combination withthe size of the character set forth for the purpose and use specified.

Having described my invention, what I now claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the U. S. is:

1. The process of finishingleather which consists in applying to itssurface a size of the character described in the presence of linseed oilto retard its drying properties substantially free from pigment such asby a separate application therewith, and then covering said surface witha gilt.

2. The process of finishing leather which consists in applying to itssurface a size of the character described in the presence of afastdrying oil substantially free from pigthen covering said surfacewith a sheet gilting. I

f. The process of finishing leather which consists in applying to itssurface a fast drying ()ll substantlallyfree from pigment and sizemixture, covering said surface with sheet gilting and then rubbing thesurface to bring out the grain'of the leather,

5. The process of finishing leatherwhich consists in applying toitssurface a size of asagna the character described in the presence of afast drying oil substantially free from pigment, covering said surfacewith sheet gilting, rubbing the surfaceto bring out the grain of theleather and then burnishing the coated surface. a

6. The process of finishing leather which consists in applying to itssurface a-s'ize of the character described in the presence of a fastdrying oil substantially free fromipige nient, covering said surfacewith sheet gilting and then stippling the coated surface.

7. The process of'finishing leather which" consists in applying theretoa fast'drying oil substantially free from pigmentto increase 1tsflexibility, coveringsaid-oiled sur-- 1 face with a size of thecharacterdescribed,

applying sheet metal gilting tothesurface,

rubbing the gilted surface to force-the metal intointimate contactwiththe pores of the leather and then'burnishing the gilted surface. I V'1 In testimony whereof I affix mysignature.

FERDINAND WYCUFFE'ELLINGTONQ i

